Apparatus for treating paper stocks



June 29, 1965 H. BIDWELL 3,191,877

APPARATUS FOR TREATING PAPER STOCKS Filed March 4, 1963 3 Sheets-Sheet 1INVENTOR. HOWARD BIDWE 'LL M ATTORNEY.

June 29, 1965 Filed March 4, 1963 H. BIDWELL APPARATUS FOR TREATINGPAPER STOCKS s Sheets-Sheet 2 /f/ZZX INVENTOR.

HOWARD BIDWELL ATTORNEY.

June 29, 1965 H. BIDWELL 3,191,877

APPARATUS FOR TREATING PAPER STOCKS Filed Harsh 4, 1963 s Sheets-Sheet aA w l INVENTOR.

HOWARD BIDWELL BY @wm?@g ATTORNEY.

United States Patent 3,191,877 APPARATUS FOR TREATING PAPER STOCKSHoward Bidwell, Granby, Mass, assignor of fifty percent to RachelBidwell, Granby, Mass. Filed Mar. 4, 1963, Ser. No. 262,663 5 Claims.(Cl. 241-496) This application is a continuation-in-part of my 00-pending application, Serial No. 89,423, filed February 15, 1961.

The present invention relates generally to improved methods andapparatus for processing paper stock by flowing waterborne stock overand against and between spaced granular-surfaced elements for purposesof separating the fibers from the paper stock aggregate and fibrillatingthe said separated fibers by a combing action of a granular surface orsurfaces, and is directed more especial to the inclusion, with methodsand means of reinforcing granular rotor bodies employed in suchprocedures of methods and means of dissipating heat from the rotor bodyinteriors, the objectives inherent in the one being so closelyinterrelated with the objectives inherent in the other as seeming tojustify their recitation conjointly. The stablity of the granular rotorbody is dependent not only upon the improved reinforcing means hereofbut also upon the improved means for the dissipation of excessive heat.

The processing of the tougher fibers, encountered in the processing ofpaper stock, over extended or prolonged time periods, is such as tocause a batch to accumulate heat to the point where excessive andobjectionable temperature conditions are attained, all leading todetrimental effects on the stock.

The dissipating of heat from the processing-rotor assemblies comprehendsways and means of maintaining a constant stock density or consistencyduring the entirety of the processing period with a constancy oftemperature for any time duration even though the heat dissipating meansmay be via the route of continuously adding a material to the stockduring the whole of the processing time, hence the aforementioneddesirability of considering the methods and means of rotor bodyreinforcement and of heat dissipation within this single disclosure.

Apparatus of the type to which this invention pertains comprehends theuse of a rotor member comprising hard and irregular granules bondedtogether to form a porous granular surfaced body, the working faces ofwhich have been contoured to direct and manipulate the stock, and whichare driven at high speeds and under heavy load, and this instantinvention is directed to improvements in means for providing more rigidreinforcement to such a rotor body, comprehending novelly-des-ignedreinforcing devices serving to function under anticipated tension conditions so as to allow more rigid resistance to load and other stresses,and for providing simultaneously more effective heat dissipating meansfor dissipating heat from the internal regions of such a rotor body.

Specifically, the reinforcing devices comprehended are of a gussettedtype allowing supplementary bracing means embedded within the cooperantgranular mass such as to offer an end structure which will effectuate animproved resistance to flexing and bending forces resultant from thetransmittal of the driving force from the supporting and driving member,which supports the rotor body, to the ice rotor body interior. Saidreinforcing devices minimizing the opportunity for the fracturing of thegranular structure.

It is notorious that rotor bodies of the types and in the usescontemplated are subject, in operation, not only to thermal shock butalso to internal working stresses, resultant from the centrifugal forcesimposed by the encountered high speeds and heavy loading and forces ofimpact. These working stresses are intensified and set up in complicatedand varying patterns within the rotor bodies, particularly in the casesof deeply contoured rotors. Such shock and stresses produce fractures inthe rotor bodies.

It is therefore one salient object of this invention to provide ways andmeans of strengthening a rotor body, whether of a one-piece or pluralpieces construction wherewith the working and driving stresses are moreuniform ly distributed .therethrough and are absorbed and/or transmittedto the driving support means.

It is another object hereof to provide means for securely holding andlocking in situ any fractured parts and segments of the structural partsof the granular rotor body which may develop through use.

As another object of the instant invention, I provide means forincreasing and extend-ing the bonding area for achieving a higher factorof safety in the bonding of the granular structure part to thereinforcing and driving part so as to effectuate increased stability andlower stresses per unit of bonded area.

It is still another object hereof to provide means for improving andincreasing the heat dissipating rate from the internal regions of thegranular structure rotor assemblies.

It is another object to teach methods and means for introducingsupplementary or auxiliary materials, such as cooling fluids, fordissipating heat from the internal regions wherewith to assure themaintaining of a constant stock density, even though an auxiliarycoolant such as water is thereby added to the stock being processed.

In connection with the aforementioned parent application, particularreference should be made to the portions of that disclosure wherein isshown and recited a plurality of threaded rodlike reinforcing memberswhich project outwardly from a driving-supporting member. Operationalexperience therewith has demonstrated that reinforcing members of suchform are not necessarily adequate under any and all conditions of use,due, primarily, to the threaded anchorage concept as taught therein, anddue secondarily to the fact that degrees of rod movement at the threadedsupport are experienced with resulant objectionable flexing andspringing of the members under operating loads leading to rotor bodycracking and fracturi-ng.

It may thus 'be defined as an object of this invention to providemethods and means wherewith the above-itemized weaknesses are overcome,which envision the use of integrally-fabricated and/ or cast gussetreinforcement elements in combinations with rods or lugs, projections,rings and equivalent structures which may be suitably fashioned forindividually supporting rotor segment sections under all possibleconditions of stress and without fiexure either outwardly or in arotative direction, and wherein, should rotor body breakage or fractureoccur, such broken or fractured parts will be held in place so as toprevent rotor body disintegration with resulting damage to otherequipment components or instrumentalit-les.

It is an additional object hereof to provide means for providing areinforcement member of a type having large exposed areas necessitatinga complemental internal cavity in the granular structure per se withsuch cavity extending through a large portion of the radial dimension ofthe said granular structure so as to divide same into segments wherewiththe granular structure is more resistant to outward radial movement ortendency to move radially or in other directions under severe conditionsof stress.

As a further refinement hereof, I allow a low center of gravitywherewith to attain a minimum of driving shaft distortion and further tocounteract any rotor static and dynamic unbalance as may be encounteredduring operational use due to masses, lumps, knots, snarls, and/rmaterials foreign or extraneous to the paper stock being processed.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent in the followingspecification and su'bjoined claims, when read in the light of theaccompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is an exploded sectional elevational view of a granular rotorbody and of a cooperant reinforcing and supporting element thereforepreparatory to the bonding of the components into a permanent unitaryassembly;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary sectional elevational view of a granular rotorbody preparatory to the bonding of the reinforcing and supportingelement therewith;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary bottom plan view of the bonded side of agranular rotor body preparatory to the receipt of said reinforcingdevices;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary bottom plan view of the bonded side of agranular rotor body with said reinforcing devices received in and bondedin situ therewithin;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary top plan view of the bonded granular rotor bodyshown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional elevational view of the rotor bodyshown in FIGS. 2 and 3 in assembly with a base or supporting plate andreinforcing media;

FIG. 7 is a view, similar to FIG. 6, of a rotor body in assembly with abase or supporting plate and supporting media cast integrally as onepiece;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary sectional elevational view of a fluid cooledfabricated type of assembly, similar to the form shown in FIG. 6 butmodified to illustrate a means for flowing a cooling fluid therethrough;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary sectional elevational view showing an assembledrotor section employing the integrally-cast type of reinforcing mediamodified to illustrate a means for flowing cooling fluids therethrough;and

FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram illustrative of a method of operatingapparatus equipped with the water-cooled granular rotor bodies of theinvention.

In the following description and appended claims, for conveniencepurposes, various components and details thereof are identified byspecific names and expressions. Such are used merely in a generic anddescriptive sense only; they are not intended to exclude reasonableequivalents of the features delineated.

I have shown, by exploded view in FIG. 1, a prepared, fired form of anannular or circularly-cylindrical porous granular rotor body, generallyindicated by 14, same having been shaped, tooled, contoured and finishedin accordance with the procedures generally disclosed in my copendingapplication, Ser. No. 93,272, filed February 28, 1961, and correspondingto the disclosure made in connection with FIGS. 7 and 8 of myaforementioned parent application.

In said FIG. 1 hereof, I have shown rotor body 14 as having its upperworking face 16 being provided with desired working contours 18, as forexample ridges and valleys, and with its outer peripheral surface 20being provided with working contours 22, as for example shal- 4 lowgrooves, and with the underface 24 of the rotor body being provided witha plurality of radially-spaced, elongated, generally-cylindricalrecesses 26 and a central opening or bore 28 being enlarged as at 30adjacent upper working face 16, to provide an annular shoulder 32 and anannular land 34 providing an annular shoulder 36. Cooperant with saidrotor body is an annular metallic base or Supporting plate 40, formedwith an outermost annular rim rib 42 is provided with a plurality ofupwardly-extending reinforcing rods 44, which may be threaded throughouttheir lengths, and which are each tightly engaged at the lower extremitythereof in a tapped recess 46 provided in said base plate, and alsoprovided with a central hold-down bushing 48 in the form of a cylinder,welded or otherwise secured to said base plate and having a keyway 50therealong for splining said base plate to the complemental portion of adrive shaft, not shown.

Rods 44 are slightly smaller, diameterwise, than recesses 26 and arepositioned so as each to be substantially centrally receivable within arespective recess 26 when rotor body 14 is assembled on base plate 40,the rotor body being cemented to the base plate, the rods, and thebushing 48 by any material suitable for making an effective adhesivebond between the cooperant granular and metal surfaces.

The interengagement of shoulder 36 with the inner complemental face ofrim rib 42, upon assembly, serves to oppose outward radial stressesgenerated in the bottom portion of the rotor body during operationaluse.

Rods 44 are so spaced and arranged within the rotor body as todistribute and absorb the stresses set up within the rotor body from thedriving torque, work loads and thermal shock sustained by said rotorbody in the operation of the apparatus, as well as to provide assuranceagainst disintegration of the rotor body in the eventof fracture.

With conjoint reference to FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 of said parent application,Ser. No. 89,423, and to FIG. 1 of the instant application, it will beexplained that the granular surfaced processing elements are especiallyeffective in the processing of synthetic fibers, such as rayon, whichoffer aggravating problems with conventional equipment, and further,that in the normal foremost stages of reducmg any raw unrefined fiberousaggragate slurry, preparatory to the refining phase, coarse lumps andclots and knots are consistently encountered to cause extremelyheavystresses to occur at the location or locations of encounterment on theradial working face of sufficient magnitude to set up severe localizedinternal stresses within the rotor body assembly in the form of shocksof considerable force. Same are transmitted generally transversely tothe unsupported ends of reinforcing rods 44. Such high stresses withinthe rotor body generate outward radial pressures of considerablemagnitude, especially with fiberous materials such as raw wood chips anduncut rag and linen material, wherefore it has been considered desirableto arrange not only for more rigid reinforcement but also for increasedheat dissipating capacity through the medium of the reinforcing memberswhich this invention teaches.

Granular structures, according to the exemplifications to follow,produce fiber development properties at rapid rates per unit area ofsurface. In processing material, such as raw wood chips, rags, textilewastes, and other tough fibrous materials, very high rates of aggregatereduction per unit of processing area are easily obtainable, althoughthese high rates are not necessarily required, nor need be maintained,when proper feed regulation is provided, as will hereinafter appear.

In FIG. 2, I have shown an annular granular rotor body 114 formed,shaped, tooled, contoured and prepared, as beforementioned, prepartoryto receiving and being bonded to the improved type of unitaryreinforcing rods and supplementary reinforcing gussets fabricated orintegrally cast therewith. Rotor body 114 is provided with a pluralityof radially-spaced elongated generally cylindrical recesses 126 and witha central opening v128, enlarged as at 130 adjacent the upper workingface 116 to provide an annular shoulder 132.

The radial working face of the granular surfaced structure 114 may beprovided with large, deeply-cut Vs 152 similar to the radial face of therotors exemplified in my Patents No. 2,936,128, issued May 10, 1960, andNo. 3,058,678, issued October 16, 1962, same being illustrated in FIGS.2 and 5 because of the utility value of such type of processing face,and further for the reason that granular surface structures providedwith such working face constitutes one of the most difficult types toadequately reinforce, due to these large, deeply-cut Vs.

Such working surface offers a capacity for effecting an acceleration oflarge volumes of stock to a high velocity and at low rotative speeds.,-'1-he stresses of the accelerating stock over the radial face portion,that is the unopposed side, and of the stock attrition action at theperimeter face area between the Vs under opposed conditions, as definedin said Patent No. 3,058,678, cause a combina- :tion of such highstresses to be localized within the gran- -u1ar structure, which thereinforcing methods herein embodied are adapted to accommodate.

Additionally, rotor body 114 is provided with a plurality of elongatedradially-extending gusset-receiving cavities 160, each extendingvertically through the major portion of the granular structure dimensionparallel with its minor axis, and each communicating at its outboardterminus with one of the recesses 126, and each communicating at itsinboard terminus with an enlarged annular portion 162 of central opening128 adjacent the rotor body under face.

Each gusset-receiving cavity 160 will 'be observed to be of lessvertical dimension at its inboard terminus than at its outboardterminus, wherefore said cavity allows definition of an inclined upperwall 164, and will be further observed to be of a width less than thediameter of its respective associated recess 126. Preferentially, butnot obligatorily, the horizontal plane defined by the upper terminals ofthe inclined upper walls 164 of the plurality of the cavities 160 willbe vertically spaced below the horizontal plane defined by the upperterminals or bottom walls 127 of recesses 126 as best shown in FIG. 2.

Thus, in effect, the rotor body includes a central opening or borevertically-extending therethrough and having an enlarged annular portionat its lower extremity and a. multiplicity of vertically-extendingcavities arranged substantially along generatrices of the openingdefined by the enlarged portion of the central opening and amultiplicity of concentrically-arranged vertically-extendingannularly-spaced recesses extending into the rotor body from the underface thereof, the distal ends of each cavity communicating one with theenlarged portion of the central opening and the other with one of themultiplicity of recesses.

\In FIG. 3, I have shown, in everted view, the fragmented bonded side ofthe granular rotor body 114 shown in FIG. -2 and prepared for receivingthe gusset reinforcement members and the gusset reinforcing hub now tobe described.

A plurality of gusset reinforcement members 17 0, each of aconfiguration complemental to the configuration of a cavity 160 areformed integrally with the multiplicity of reenforcing rods 144 by beingcast therewith as well as with an annular gusset reinforcing hub 172,said hub being of a configuration complemental to the configuration ofthe enlarged portion 162 of opening 128. The integrated constructionwill thus be observed to be receivable within the respective openings orcavities or recesses of the rotor body.

Alternatively, gusset reinforcement members 170 and gusset reinforcinghub 172 may be fabricated separately for integration with each other andsecurement to the reinforcing rods, as by welding.

Further, said gusset reinforcement members and gusset reinforcing hubmay be cast integrally and subsequently secured to the base orsupporting plate 140, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 9 or such components maybe separately fabricated and subsequently united, as shown in FIGS. 6and 8.

In FIG. 6, I have shown, in fragmentary sectional elevational view, therotor body 114 shown in FIG. 4 with the balance of a complete assemblageinclusive of a base or supporting plate and separately formedreinforcing rods 144, gusset reinforcement members and gussetreinforcing hub 172 being joined to each other so as to resist stressesin tension.

Contrariwise, in FIG. 7, I have shown, in fragmentary sectionalelevational view, a rotor body .114, with the balance of a completeassemblage inclusive of a base or supporting plate 140 conjointtherewith in which reinforcing rods 144', gusset reinforcement members170', and gusset reinforcement hubs 172' and hold down bushing 1-48'have been cast integrally as a one-piece construction for resisting loadand other stresses in tension.

In both forms, that of FIG. 6 and that of FIG. 7, the components areshown as being swa'bbed with a bonding material such as Devcon duringassembly, as shown at 173 in FIG. 6 and at 173' in FIG. 7.

FIG. 6 is illustrative of astar centered rotor body, whereas FIG. 7 isillustrative of a flat surface rotor without a star center, same beingadapted to work under a hydraulic head.

In either instance, the gusset reinforcing members 170 and 170' serveeffectively to increase manyfold the rigid ity of their cooperantreinforcing rods, the tensile properties of the gusset reinforcementmember and the reinforcing rods integrated therewith or fixed theretobeing combined so as to be in increased alignment with the majorstresses anticipated to be encountered.

Significantly, such improved arrangement allows a single annular row ofreinforcing rods, with these being placed at wider spacings as to eachother wherewith improved reinforcing and heat conducting capacities areattained.

When such sufficiently rigid reinforcing means are provided, anyexcessive internal temperatures are eliminated and the granularstructural bodies are capable of withstanding increased punishment andabuse in addition to more easily accommodating themselves to theirintended work loads.

By the rigid, non-yielding reinforcement system above described, Irelieve the granular structural part of encountered stresses and provideextended bonding areas that permit high factors of safety with loweredstresses per unit of bonded area, and assure high heat dissipatingproperties that assurethe bonding being maintained at maximum bondingstrengths.

Since, in processing, the more intensive heat producing areas of arotating granular structure range from a point midway of the rotorradius to the perimeter of the radial face, the tougher and harderaggregates to which the types of rotor shown are best suited, a moreadequate heat transfer path is provided with the gusset type ofreinforcing which additionally provides more rigid reinforcement to thegranular body structure part.

In FIG. 8 hereof, I have shown an annular granular rotor body 214,suitably for-med, shaped, tooled, contoured and prepared for receivingand being bonded to the fabricated reinforcing rods and supplementaryreinforcing gussets.

Said body 214 is provided with a plurality of radially spaced elongatedgenerally cylindrical recesses 226 and with a central opening or boreinterconnected by gusset cavities, all as before described.

In combination therewith, I have illustrated a fluidcooled fabricatedtype of assembly with the added means for flowing a coolant from ahollow and suitably ported drive shaft 200, the reinforcing members 244and the 7 gusset member, 260 being hollow as at 245 and 261 respectivelyand being interconnected, if desired, as by tubing 202.

Additionally, in said FIG. 8, I have shown a small abrasive disc 250seated within the star center and upon a hold down washer 252 with ahead cap screw 254 threadedly engageable with said washer, as is bestsuited for the star centered type of rotor body as illustrated.

Adjacent the junction of each opening 261 of its respective gussetmember 260 and the aligned intercommunicating port 264 of drive shaft200, a pair of O-rings 263, are disposed, one on each side of theinterconnection for the common sealing function.

In FIG. 9, I have illustrated, in the form of a fiat surface rotorwithout a rotor center for working under hydraulic loads, a fluid cooledintegrally cast type of assembly with added means in the form of coredchannels for flowing a coolant from a hollow drive shaft 300.

The base plate 140' is illustrated as being cored as at 141', whichopening communicates with an interconnecting port 302' in drive shaft300' at one end thereof and with a channel 345' cored in the reinforcingrod 344.

At the junction of port 141 and port 302', a pair of O-rings 306' aredisposed at opposite sides thereof for the conventional sealingfunction.

In a continuous flow type system, high work load rate conditions causeno particular heat dissipating problems, but tougher fiberous materialsmay be batch processed to an accepted condition in greatly reduced timeperiods as compared with the normal experience when and where thegranular surfaced processing elements are provided with auxiliarycooling means now to be described. Such means are particularly desirablewhen low temperature bonding media are employed in bonding the granularstructure member to the reinforcing and driving components.

Batches of stock under such conditions consistently attain temperaturesabove those found to be most desirable for optimum fiber development,and they may even reach temperatures of as high as 150 F. to 175 F. oreven higher depending upon the beating rate. Such temperatures areexcessive and completely undesirable for some grades of stock, it beingrecognized that the most desirable stock heating temperature for mostorganic stocks is in the neighborhood of 80 F.

Batches of stock may be processed indefinitely by apparatus such asexemplified in my copending application, Ser. No. 99,473, filed March30, 1961, at uniform constant temperature with a range of from 100 F. tonot in excess of 135 F., depending upon the rate of stock flow androtative speeds employed. Stocks processed with this apparatus howeverlose moisture content rapidly so as to result in increases in density asthe processing progresses.

Stocks processed with the auxiliary cooled rotor bodies of FIGS. 8 and 9gain moisture and decrease in density as the processing progresses, theybeing cooled by the addition of the cooling water.

Bearing in mind that the term batch processing defines the processing ofstocks in comparatively small quantities, quantities too small forcontinuous stock processing operation, and consisting of short orderfinishes of special types of fibers of varying ratios, reference willnow be made to FIG. 10 wherein I have illustrated, by a schematic flowline diagram, one simplified method of processing batches of stock overany period and duration at a constant temperature and constant densityat temperatures which will approach the theoretical ideal, by thebalancing of the characteristics of one processing unit with thecharacteristics of the other unit into an integrated system whichcombines the cooling effects of both.

Such method comprehends that each unit employed in the methodconstitutes an essential part of the method defined for the achievementand maintenance of a predetermined desired lower processing stocktemperature (lower than that found in normal processing techniques) fora uniform constant density.

The component units of apparatus illustrated as an integrated system inconnection with that method include a preconditioner 500 of a typeexemplified in my copending application, Ser. No. 118,756, filed May 15,1961. Such functions to reduce a given quantity to a flowable slurry,and is operated, in conjunction with a blending processing unit 502cooperant with a reservoir 501 so as to deliver a desired quantity ofuniformly-blended slurry to a stock chest 504.

Said stock chest is equipped with a paper stock processing unit 506which is fitted with an auxiliary water cooled rotor of the type shownin FIG. 8 and rotatable within any suitable stator arrangement 507. Onesuch arrangement is shown in FIG. 12 of my aforementioned copendingapplication, Ser. No. 89,423.

As will be seen, the coolant fluid, obtainable from an auxiliary source,admixes with the stock upon being discharged from the rotor body whileprocessing a batch of stock over a prolonged time period, and while yetmaintaining the predetermined stock density throughout the batchingperiod.

Processing unit 506 so equipped with the rotor body is suited to breakdown the coarse slurry as drawn from stock chest 504 and to deliver theconditioned stock to a.

processing unit 508 disposed at an elevated position wherefore thedischarge from said unit will flow by gravity back to stock chest 504.Said processing unit 508 may be of a type exemplified in myaforementioned copending application, Ser. No. 99,473, to offer rapidhydrating effects to the stocks and to reduce the moisture contentduring operation.

No pump is required since processing unit 506 will deliver stock to anelevated point without any auxiliary equipment.

The stock processing unit 506 may also be arranged to maintainsufficient stock agitation within stock chest 504 so as to eliminate theneed for a chest agitator.

A valve 510 will serve to regulate the rate of stock delivered toprocessing unit 508, the surplus returning to stock chest 504.

Preconditioner 500, a conveyor 512, and a blender 502 are only used todevelop the required batch quantity desired to be delivered to stockchest 504 for batch processing.

The capacity of stock chest 504 may be of any desired quantity to meetthe requirements of the user and could be of the order between oneaverage sized beater tub and several beater tubs. In batch operation,the chest would function and serve the identical purpose that aconventional beater tub serves.

Cooling water is admitted to the hollow shaft of motor 507 to processingunit 506 via a rotary joint 516, a regulating valve 518 and a fluidmeter 520.

Once the moisture dissipating rate of processing unit 508 is determinedfor a given energy rate input by the aid of fluid meter 520 and theadjustment of regulating valve 518 so as to hold the stock level Lconstant within stock chest 504, the setting of regulating valve 518 maybe made in accordance with tabulation predetermined through previousruns.

The required batch quantity having been charged into stock chest 504,this stock is then processed only by Since processing units 506 and 508operate in series in the arrangement shown in FIG. 10, drawing stockfrom and returning stock to stock chest 504 until the desired acceptedstock condition has been obtained, the moisture additive characteristicsof processing unit 506 may be regulated to balance the moisturedissipating characteristics of processing unit 508 to maintain aconstant level L in stock chest 504, whereby to maintain a constantstock density at a lowered stock temperature due to the combined coolinginfluence of both units.

The energy input rate of process unit 508 is in direct relation to thestock flow rate admitted through valve 510. For this reason, a givenenergy input rate will have a corresponding moisture extraction rate.

Knowing the moisture extraction rates per hour for the various inputrating of processing unit 508, auxiliary cooling water regulating valve518 may be adjusted accordingly by noting the reading of fluid meter520, from which the water input rate may be determined in adjustingregulating valve 518.

After processing units 506 and 508 have been rendered operative, thestatic head within stock chest 504 may be noted on a static pressuredevice 522.

By setting an adjustable contact device to the static head reading, anyappreciable variation from that static head within stock chest 504 maybe arranged to sound a warning signal and/or to increase or decrease theauxiliary cooling water rate as required to maintain a constant chestlevel L, by equipping regulating valve 518 with the suitable responsivecontrol devices (not shown).

If processing units 506 and 508 are equipped with variable speed motorsor variable speed drives, the processing rate of the batch may befurther varied to meet the most economical fiber development rate.

Higher stock flow velocities carry high energy input rates but notnecessarily high fiber development rates. That is, fiber developmentcharacteristics, such as tensile, do not follow velocity and energyinput rates, nor are mullen and tensile equally influenced by varyingvelocities and energy input rates.

By manipulating the rotative speeds of either or both types ofprocessing units, varying input energy rates are possible for a givenfiber development characteristic values including relative freeness.

Granular surfaced processing elements prepared, as exemplified in mycopending application Ser. No. 93,272, filed March 3, 1961, are capableof developing superstrong organic fiber characteristics far beyond thatpossible by conventional means and methods, when employed as exemplifiedin my issued patents Reg. No. 2,912,174, dated October 11, 1959, Reg.No. 2,936,128, dated May 10, 1960, Reg. No. 3,058,678, dated October 16,1962, and will also process synthetic non-organic fibers free of theproblems encountered by conventional means.

Granular structure bodies so prepared with reinforcement media and withauxiliary cooling means maintain more beneficial and elfective stockprocessing temperatures as well.

This invention utilizes the observed phenomena characteristics of epoxyresin bonded untreated granular bodied structures as exemplified in thisinvention and all my previous issued patents and my copendingapplications, that granular bodies as prepared, used and describedresist fracture under extreme pressure and shock within those regionsbordering to the bonded areas and it is the purpose of this invention toextend this phenomena throughout the porous granular structure in itsentirety or sufliciently near its entirety for the requirements soughtin combination with the improved reinforcing heat dissipating methodsdescribed above.

I claim:

1. A rotor member for use in the processing of water borne paper stockwhich comprises, a rotor body formed of granules of hardpermanently-bonded-together material allowing coarse granular stockprocessing surfaces, said rotor body being formed on its underside witha plurality of spaced generally cylindrical inwardly-extending recessesand a cylindrical central opening and a plurality of cavities eachinterconnecting one of the recesses and the central opening, a drivingsupport, a plurality of reinforcement rods extending from said drivingsupport and each positioned in one of the recesses, a plurality ofreinforcement gussets extending from said driving support and eachpositioned in one of the cavities, said reinforcement rods and gussetsbeing fixed to each other at their points of intersection, a shaftreceiving bushing extending from said driving support and positioned inthe central opening, and means bonding said reinforcement rods andgussets and bushing to said rotor body within the recesses and cavitiesand central opening respectively.

2. A rotor member for use in the processing of water borne paper stockwhich comprises, a rotor body formed of granules of hard materialpermanently bonded together to provide said rotor body with coarsegranular stock processing surfaces, said rotor body being formed on itsunderside with a plurality of spaced circular recesses and with acentral cylindrical opening and with 'a radially-disposed gusset recessinterconnecting each said circular recess and said central cylindricalopening, a driving support, a plurality of spaced and discreteprojections and a plurality of interconnected gussets extending fromsaid support and positioned in said circular recesses and gussetrecesses respectively, a shaft receiving bushing extending from saiddriving support and positioned in said central cylindrical opening, andmeans bonding said projections and gussets and bushing to said rotorbody within said circular recesses and said gusset recesses and saidcentral cylindrical opening respectively.

3. A rotor member for use in the processing of water home paper stockwhich comprises, a rotor body formed of granules of hard materialpermanently bonded together for providing said body with coarse granularstock processing surfaces, said body being formed on its underside witha plurality of spaced inwardly-extending circular recesses and a centralcylindrical opening extending therethrough and with a radially-disposedgusset recess inter- 1 connecting each said circular recess and saidcentral cylindrical opening, a driving support, a plurality of spacedprojections and interconnected gussets extending from said support andpositioned in said circular recesses and gusset recesses respectively, ashaft receiving bushing extending from said driving support andpositioned in said central cylindrical opening, and means bonding saidprojections and gussets and bushing to said body within said circularrecesses and said gusset recesses and said central cylindrical openingrespectively.

4. In a rotor member for use in the processing of water borne paperstock comprising, a rotor body formed of granules of hard materialpermanently bonded together to provide said body with coarse granularstock processing surfaces and having on its underside a plurality ofspaced generally cylindrical recesses and a central cylindrical openingand a plurality of interconnected gusset recesses each extending betweenone of said cylindrical recesses and said central cylindrical opening, adriving support, a

plurality of rods extending from said driving support and positioned insaid cylindrical recesses and a plurality of interconnected gussetspositioned in said gusset recesses, a shaft receiving bushing extendingfrom said driving support and positioned in said central opening, andmeans bonding said rods and gussets and bushing to said body within saidcylindrical recesses and gusset recesses and central openingrespectively.

5. A rotor member for use in the processing of water borne paper stockcomprising, a rotor body formed on its underside with a plurality ofspaced inwardly-extending generally cylindrical recesses and with acentral cylindrical opening therethrough and with spacedinwardly-extending interconnected gusset recesses extending between eachcylindrical recess and said central cylindrical opening, a driv-References Cited by the Examiner ing support, a plurality of metal rodsextending from said UNITED STATES PATENTS driving support and positionedin said cylindrical recesses,

a plurality of gussets positioned in said gusset recesses and 1,705,9963/29 Pope 241 296 each interconnected with one of the rods of saidplurality 5 21231516 2/41 Welmberg 51*209 thereof, a shaft receivingbushing extending from said driving support and positioned in saidcentral opening, and FOREIGN PATENTS means bonding said rods and gussetsand bushing to said 51,014 6/32 Norway body within said cylindricalrecesses and gusset recesses and central opening repectively. ANDREW R.JUHASZ, Primary Examiner.

1. A ROTOR MEMBER FOR USE IN THE PROCESSING OF WATER BORNE PAPER STOCKWHICH COMPRISES, A ROTOR BODY FORMED OF GRANULES OF HARDPERMANENTLY-BONDED-TOGETHER MATERIAL ALLOWING COARSE GRANULAR STOCKPROCESSING SURFACES, SAID ROTOR BODY BEING FORMED ON ITS UNDERSIDE WITHA PLURALITY OF SPACED GENERALLY CYLINDRICAL INWARDLY-EXTENDING RECESSESAND A CYLINDRICAL CENTRAL OPENING AND A PLURALITY OF CAVITIES EACHINTERCONNECTING ONE OF THE RECESSES AND THE CENTRAL OPENING, A DRIVINGSUPPORT, A PLURALITY OF REINFORCEMENT RODS EXTENDING FROM SAID DRIVINGSUPPORT AND EACH POSITIONED IN ONE OF THE RECESS, A PLURALITY OFREINFORCEMENT GUSSETS EXTENDING FROM SAID DRIVING SUPPORT AND EACHPOSITIONED IN ONE OF THE CAVITIES, SAID REINFORCEMENT RODS AND GUSSETSBEING FIXED TO EACH OTHER AT THEIR POINTS OF INTERSECTION, A SHAFTRECEIVING BUSHING EXTENDING FROM SAID DRIVING SUPPORT AND POSITIONED INTHE CENTRAL OPENING, AND MEANS BONDING SAID REINFORCEMENT RODS ANDGUSSETS AND BUSHING TO SAID ROTOR BODY WITHIN THE RECESSES AND CAVITIESAND CENTRAL OPENING RESPECTIVELY.